Cayo floods, broken bridge disrupt village

The heavy rains that fell over the weekend are having a delayed effect this week in the form of flooding that closed the low wooden bridges in San Ignacio and Iguana Creek. But there’s another bridge that’s out in Cayo and today I saw its effects on one small community.

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
This is all that is left of the Hammock Bridge that runs across the Mopan River and connects the village of Calla Creek to the rest of the Cayo District. The damage has literally cut off half of the community making it unsafe for villagers to even make their way to the other side of the village.

The water has gone down just a bit but the swollen river and strong currents have made it just too risky for the residents to use a canoe. But among those most affected are the village’s children. According to school principal Moises Martinez when the students made their way on Tuesday to the river bank to cross the bridge to get to school they discovered the structure was gone. In fact the residents report that at the time the bridge washed away two persons were making their way across.

Moises Martinez, Principal, Holy Cross School, Calla Creek Village
“There was a man and a boy who practically had to be rescued from the river.”

“We were surprised yesterday when we showed up to the village to go across the bridge to find out that it had been washed away. I understand that it was around six-thirty in the morning that it was washed away.”

The villagers say they are also upset because for sometime now they have been complaining to the government about the situation saying that it is not the first time that the bridge has collapsed. The families say even the way the structure has been built is unsafe for the children to cross and claim that some have even fallen into the water while making their way over the wooden planks. Sonia Vasquez whose four children remain out of school says she is very concerned at the interruption of their education.

Sonia Vasquez, Concerned Parent
“A lot of kids not going to school. You know how much deh kids wah lose there? When not studying like that?”

Jacqueline Godwin
“What do the kids do during the day?”

Sonia Vasquez
“Well some of them go play and some of them deh tek the
books fi study sometimes.”

Martinez says one hundred children attend Holy Cross School and it is not certain just how soon repairs will be done to the bridge. According to Martinez he did contact the government’s political aspirant Kendal Mendez but the news has not been encouraging.

Moises Martinez
“I spoke to him and he informed me just a while ago that he has spoken to the assistant chief education officer and to Mister Garbutt from the Public Works Department. Mister Garbutt I understand told him that he cannot do anything right now because of the present situation with the river. You notice it is very flooded and he cannot risk his people but we will wait and see.”

Our cameraman Chris Mangar and an able canoe handler did take the risk to travel to the other side of the village. Once safely ashore it was obvious that the damaged bridge has affected life in the community.

The villagers say the hammock bridge was constructed some twenty-five years ago and around that same time there were attempts to build a permanent cement span but all that remains of that effort are two abutments and rusty steel construction rods.

Jacqueline Godwin
“What happened to that plan?”

Moises Martinez
“I really cannot say but I know for a fact that it has been there for about twenty years, it has been there, and the project seem to have simply seem to been abandoned but it is there ready for a bridge to be set.”

Today Martinez appealed to the proper authorities to urgently address the problem so the children can return to their classrooms.

Moises Martinez
“To respond to the needs of the area especially at Calla Creek at this present situation. To respond by repairing the bridge or take a seriously look about the possibility of putting up a concrete bridge.”

Kendall Mendez told us that beginning on Monday arrangements will be made to give the children access through the Bullet Tree and Calla Creek Road that is currently being upgraded.